Study: Hip Surgery OK After 80

Hip replacement surgery patients 80 years old and up fare just as well as those 70 and younger, according to results of a recent study published in The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery.

The study shows that patients in the 80-year-old group at the time of surgery had comparable strength and function in their replaced hip as did patients who were 70 and younger at the time of surgery.

“People in their 80s can be confident that they are at no greater risk of complications or surgical failure because of their age,” says Dr. Todd A. Schmidt, an orthopaedic surgeon who specializes in joint replacement surgery with Southern Orthopaedic Specialists. “Hip replacement surgery is a viable option that can greatly improve their quality of life.”

More than 250,000 hip replacement surgeries are performed in the United States each year. Though nonsurgical treatment methods are always considered first, hip replacement surgery is often necessary to treat osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis, both of which entail the breakdown of cartilage and bone–on–bone pain.

Those who experience constant pain in their hip should be evaluated by an orthopaedic physician. To contact Southern Orthopaedic Specialists, call (770) 953-6929.